But now, Rolf Harris is a convicted paedophile drawing the ire of fellow prison inmates who have declared the entertainer a "hate figure" following a recent prison brawl.

The incident happened during a church service in the chapel at men's prison HMP Bullingdon in Oxfordshire, according to UK media reports. An inmate reportedly tried to spit on Harris.

The spit instead landed on another prisoner, which sparked a punch-up between the inmates, the Daily Mail reported. The 84-year-old Australian was not physically hurt.

Advertisement

"One prisoner called Rolf a dirty nonce and spat at him," a witness told The Sun. "All the others were jeering too, but the spit landed on the bloke next to Rolf, who went berserk.

"Rolf stood in a corner while the other prisoner was taken to a segregation unit. Then he just sat back down. He was shaken up, but didn't let on."

Prisoners said it was an attack waiting to happen.

"Rolf is a hate figure for many in prison. Attack him, you're going to get some notoriety," one inmate told The Sun.

Harris has applied to British authorities for permission to appeal against his convictions on 12 indecent assaults.

A spokesman for the Judicial Office confirmed lawyers had lodged papers at the Court of Appeal this week.

Harris was convicted on June 30 at Southwark Crown Court of 12 indecent assaults - one on an eight-year-old autograph hunter, two on girls in their early teens and a catalogue of abuse of his daughter's friend over 16 years.

The court will now consider whether to grant permission for him to continue with his appeal bid.

Harris, a family favourite for decades, was finally unmasked during his trial as a predator who was fixated with under-age girls, with jurors told how his 16-year campaign of sex abuse against his daughter's friend "haunted" her and made her abandon her dreams as he continued to be adored by millions of fans worldwide.

His fall from grace was underlined as he was stripped of a Bafta fellowship and accolades in Australia were removed, and he faces losing his prestigious CBE.

The performer's multimillion-dollar fortune is also at risk from potential compensation claims.

Harris was jailed for five years and nine months for the sex abuse. He is due to serve just under three years for the crimes, which occurred between 1968 and 1986.

Earlier this week, the Attorney General's Office confirmed the sentence would not be referred to the Court of Appeal for being unduly lenient.